


Ube

by RedLlamas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Animals, Biblical events, Birds, Castiel-centric, Creation, Crow - Freeform, Gen, M/M, Neanderthals, Wings, ube, universe - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2015-12-01
Packaged: 2018-05-04 06:51:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5324624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLlamas/pseuds/RedLlamas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ube is a label for wings.</p><p>Written for the Castiel Color Challenge November 2015: Ube</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ube

Every soul has a particular color that reflects its nature. Good hearted people had warm colors, representing their "warmth", as humans call it. People born with ill-intent staining their soul sported darker colors, muted grays and stark white.

Animals, plants, and every other creation on Earth also has a colored soul, though with colors more closely tied to Earth and their being.

A demon was born a human, but their essence has been scorched by torture, misgivings, and sin they endured in Hell. Every demon has but a wisp, a trace, of a semblance of hue embedded in them.

Angels are tricky, though. Since angels are multidimensional wavelengths of celestial intent, they appear as white, glowing beings, swimming and walking through the fabric of the universe.

But every angel has their own value, their own tinted blood.

The Archangels, first borns, first serving, are golden creatures created to serve with dignity and courage, not to be squandered by one being such as their fallen Lucifer. Their gold is fluid, shimmering with the dust of a thousand dead galaxies.

Lesser angels are similar to humans. Normal angels shine brighter than their correspondent color, but seraphim's glow is subdued to show clearer their tint.

An angel, when taking up a vessel, can glow brightly because of its grace. No human has ever been able to see an angel in its true form, so their grace is transformed into elements that they can perceive when in a vessel. This usually ends up with many angels taking up their vessel's eye color as the color of their grace, ending up with many erroneous representations of what they actually encompass.

Castiel was born millennia ago, on an Asgardian's day of celebration. Castiel was born right when all particles of the universe stopped stirring and settled into a fine dust upon his Father's mantle. He continued his existence watching, learning, gulping in all the information He would be willing to share with him.

It was Michael, 400 million years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, who told him to be careful of the fish crawling its way out of the deep, blue, vitalized sea. Castiel watched his step, choosing to follow it instead to see what would become its new abode.

Before Michael, 130 million years prior to the fish, Gabriel had taken Castiel out on an expedition to the still developing Earth. Upon Gabriel's back did Castiel see what Gabriel was pointing at — a centipede-like creature starting to explore the world above the sea. Gabriel told Castiel that that being would start a genetic revolution for all that move about. Castiel stared in awe at this creature, amazed at the power it wielded in that moment when it had peaked above the surface of the grand blue.

325 million years since the fish had walked did Eurachonta emerge. The instigator of the primate order. These mammals, these small, nocturnal, arboreal, insect-eating mammals gave way for humans to be born. God guided it in its path, giving it nudges in the right direction. He would smile warmly upon it, happy that His creation was coming together. Michael and Lucifer had started to have rifts in their relationship, sardonic and caustic in their words. Gabriel would try to aid them to no avail. He would push the younger ones out of earshot, fearing that they would become like their older brothers. Castiel vowed to never let himself say such scathing remarks to any of his kin when he was as aged as they.

When 315 million years (was it a million? Was it a day? Time sure flew by in anticipation of this marvelous event) had passed and faded, Castiel had witnessed the Homo and Pan genus separate themselves from that of gorillas. Finally, God's creation was coming together. Castiel had been granted permission to tread among them, taking on the form of a bird. Breathing in the sweet, crisp air did Castiel get a glimpse of what it was like to live, in his own skin and body, and live his own life. Shaking himself out of this reverie, Castiel cast away these thoughts, buried them in a chest, and threw away the key. (But my, how he has found the key).

Lucy. Oh, Lucy. Before Mr. Donald Johanson had come about her, she had had a blessing from God. He had appeared as a wolf, walking around her until He had sat in front of her and looked at her in her eyes. Lucy defiantly stared back. He then barked, patted her with His paw, and ran away. Lucy blinked, and looked at her legs. She stood up from her crouching position, and breathed in for what felt like the first time. She took a tentative first step. Then another. And another. And another. Soon, she ran through the underbrush, smiling widely. God watched on, happily wagging His tail, tongue hanging loose from his jaw. Castiel hesitantly flew to sit next to Him, in his previous avian form. His Father looked at him then, cocking His head to the side, and patted Castiel's feathered head. His grace gleamed bright, seeping into his eyes.

There was still no creature able to see and live to tell the tale of how an angel, in its pure form, looked like. Castiel, around the time the Neanderthals emerged, had come to Earth so many times, he had struck up a friendship with one Neanderthal boy named Jetal. Jetal had learned that a black bird meant he would have a good day. Uriel, as any toddler is prone to do, went to his Father and told Him of what his brother was doing. He had looked at Uriel and shook His head, assuring Uriel that He had given Castiel free passage to do this, and not to worry. He assured Uriel that what Castiel was doing was going to save him one day.

Castiel heard none of this as he flew overhead Jetal, leading him through a patch of flowers near his village. Castiel maintained his friendship with Jetal as he aged and matured, founding a family of his own. Jetal had quickly taught his children about the blessings the Black Bird brings, and Castiel had close relations with Jetal's line until a new species emerged, the Homo sapiens. He was about to go back to Earth when he saw God create Adam, the first "human" in the history of Earth. When told of this man's name, Castiel sucked in a breath, and let it out a shaky, " _Adam_."

Castiel made sure to be on Earth when God created Eve. He was perched on a branch with a flock of his brothers and sisters next to him, craning their long and short necks to see the first woman of the humans. Anna zipped here and there, trying to catch sight of the woman.

She was ... extraordinary. Dark skin like the night, hair big and wild like the wind, eyes filled with wonder. Adam stood nearby, a black figure holding out a hand towards her. Eve took his hand and stood up. He gestured toward all animals that had converged to see her. _For you, they came_ , he had said. She walked towards a gazelle and pet it, and told it _Thank you_.

Castiel loved her as well.

All the angels did. But when God asked all His angels to kneel before His new creations, to live to protect and serve them, all but Lucifer knelt. He cooed at God, proclaiming his unending love for Him, vowing to never love such creatures as these. God brought him back to Heaven, and every other angel as well. Lucifer dared defy God's orders and Michael came forward to confront him. Theirs was a brilliant, spectacular fight, covered in technicolor blood. Castiel hid behind Gabriel, who tried to shield the younger ones. Uriel was entranced by the gruesome sight, enthralled even — a spark in him could have easily light. But Castiel saw no thing to admire, only saw the tarnished splendorous Halls of Heaven tell the sad tale of Lucifer's fall.

It was only a year or two after the event — a second or two for an angel — that Castiel became curious. What was to be about angelkind? Would they still serve Adam's brood, though they were cast from Eden? Michael had taken the solemn duty to protect it with swords flaming from sin ever breathing its air once more. God had said nothing on the matter. Lucifer had taken refuge in Hell, a desolate empty place now harnessed with the powers of a fallen Archangel. The tremendous power Lucifer could and can wield, it scared Castiel to think of all the bad he could create. Sadly for him, his answer was provided all too soon when he convinced Cain to kill his brother. Castiel closed his eyes, refusing to witness the victory of evil versus good. But he opened it, because He had asked him to. How could he deny such a favor? His soul glowed a grieving violet.

Castiel's soul was the color of ube, a rich purple named for the plant it comes from. Or well, the plant that comes from him. He finds comfort in cool colors, thinks of them as safe. There are many angels and creatures and humans with cool colors being their marker, but he has not met a single entity who shares his particular shade of purple. Not a bird, not a wolf, not a Neanderthal, not Adam's family, nor Seth's grievances. Jetal's great-great-grandson, Humet, had adopted his family's custom of being born evergreen, representing his connection to the earth.

No one said it, but everyone believed Castiel to be the black sheep of the family. Even his wings showed this.

The last neanderthals had taken refuge in Gibraltar. Castiel thought it sad that his friends were going to die, especially since their poetry was far superior to that of the humans. But 160,000 years had passed since Adam and Eve had stepped foot on this lively rock, and the last of Jetal's line, a daughter of the earth named Seba, had died, smiling in Castiel's embrace. He had forgone his feathers and opted to hold her in his real arms, speak to her in his real voice. Luckily for her, she was already halfway to Heaven. She looked sweetly into Castiel's ethereal face, emitting a white light. She held up a hand to his face, and whispered, _Castiel, take me home. I had fun. Thank you._

Violet-tinted tears fell upon her sleeping face. She was at peace. He stood up, still cradling Seba in his arms, and started to walk towards the forest. Her family had founded a village not far from here. He would lay her to rest in their cradle of life. His wings trailed behind him, long and black against his heavenly white form. He sighed and breathed.

Uriel had appeared taking up a red fox's form, running alongside him. Castiel saw him, but did not say anything. Uriel grabbed hold of Castiel's ankle, biting on it with his maw, pulling him to a stop. He looked up at Castiel and told him it would be quicker to fly to their village, a good four days and nights away. Castiel sadly smiled and declined. "She was my friend, and walked upon this soil." Uriel walked with him until they came upon Jetal's village. Uriel had helped him bury her.

Years passed. Humans reigned king on His playground. Castiel saw the Tower of Babel, all 37 feet of it. And when it fell, they howled divine pain. (Of course, their lamentations were only understood to God, not each other). Castiel saw David defeat Goliath, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

He has seen the rise and fall of empires, of good, benevolent people, of evil, malicious persons. The Romans were in their heyday when, lo, Jesus of Nazareth, son of Virgin Mary, was born. That day, God had decided to appoint Castiel to Earth, knowing that this day marked a change for the better.

When Castiel first saw Jesus of Nazareth, his breath was taken away. This man, this divine, holy force — he saw him before Castiel saw him. Castiel was hidden perched on a tree, hoping to catch a glimpse of this miracle-making man, and could see that Jesus was talking to a group of followers. After his sermon, Jesus turned to see him. He, as a man, could only see the bird, but as the son of God, could see the outline of Castiel's grace and soul. Jesus smiled warmly at him, walked up to the bird, pet him gently, and walked away. Castiel's feathers ruffled up instinctively, not because he did not like to be touched, but because Jesus had touched _him._

He wept at his death glimmering tears, in his true form, which had shrunken so rapidly in such few years. It was centuries before he could again stand at a considerable height, unrestrained from sorrow.

The date was July 10, 1973, and finally, after far too much waiting, Castiel had found a soul like his, same shade of ube. A soul alike to Castiel's. James Novak was born, devout Christian, family man, salesman — Castiel's true vessel. Yearning to touch the world around the humans with his own body, Castiel urged James (Jimmy, that's what he likes to be called) to allow him to be his vessel. When Jimmy had said, " _Yes_ ," Castiel was elated to see that Jimmy hailed from Jetal, finding traces of Neanderthal genes in his genetic makeup, specifically that of his former friend's.

 _Thank you_ , he repeated in Jimmy's mind over and over until Jimmy good-naturedly told him he might change his mind about this. For Castiel was a comet, and he had chained himself to him. Castiel had brought Jimmy to Heaven so that he could receive orders to rescue a wild soul, and Jimmy could not believe the brightness and beauty of God's Paradise. (He could barely believe the intensity of Castiel's ube presence in him).

 _Dean Winchester is saved_ , ranged the bells, ranged his voice. God knows why he was chosen for the task, but he did it. He saved Dean Winchester, who, according to God, was imminently important to God and His plan.

_And my, what a man._

He had asked Jimmy what love meant. Jimmy had laughed, explaining as best as he could throughout the whole ordeal that was Castiel and Dean's first meeting. Jimmy noted, while being stabbed in the chest, that Dean had a look in his eyes that screamed, Hello there, I must have you. Castiel rolled his eyes at Jimmy's antics, healed him, and continued to talk (more like scold) with Dean.

Dean and Sam Winchester had become Castiel's family, even more so than the Host of Heaven. Jimmy missed him family, but stuck with Castiel because he exclaimed he wanted to see when Dean was going to proclaim his love for Castiel. Castiel hushed him and reminded him Dean was in love with an image of a vessel. Jimmy reminded him that just because their souls were similar does not mean they are the same person. (Castiel had said nothing).

Oh, how the time flew with these two boys. They had become Team Free Will. Fitting for the black sheep of the family, as Castiel rebelled against Heaven for them, for Dean. _He should respect me more_ , he had told Jimmy one night. _All his respect is devoted to you_ , Jimmy had answered. (Castiel meditated on this).

When Lucifer snapped his fingers, Castiel could feel each of his cells being ripped apart, atoms split apart. What he felt most of all was James Novak going out like a flame in a mountain's howl. Just as quickly, Castiel was put back together by a more powerful, wise, older snap. He thanked God for this. Jimmy's body was now his own, and he sent a prayer to him to thank him for willing to put up with an old comet.

The date is November 30, 2015, and finally, after far too much waiting, Castiel — even though he will probably die soon — has never felt more alive.


End file.
